Before I had a child, before I knew anything about cancer and sickness, I use to vision sickness in my own mind. That vision was always of a pale child, losing their hair. My eyes could make me feel the pain and horror by associating the sickness with the hair loss. Well imagine my thoughts when I was told Kaylee was going to lose her hair. Reality with the news. Reality of the hell that laid ahead for her and for our family.
For a short time I thought Kaylee might not lose her hair. She never stops amazing me, so I thought it might let her slip by. Well, strands of hair starting falling. A few here, several there. A few fingers full. Then a hand full. We were losing hair and it was happening quickly. It was Kay's decision whether or not to cut or keep our hopes alive. We waited.
It was a sad day but obligations took over. We had to make sure Kaylee was comfortable, our obligation. So when the hair would fall we were more concerned with disposing of the hairs then saying "poor Kaylee." Hundreds of hairs and they land on you, in your food, in your mouth, and all over your bed. We were all over it. So the distraction of the hair watered down the sadness of the actual losing of the hair. The mind will find a way to cope, and pass the time.
We did one hair cut, and that last a short while before we headed to Misty's Mirror for a complete shave, a new wig. Misty's Mirror is located at St. Luke's on the Plaza. They help cancer patients with an important thing. Their appearance. They have wigs and other accessories for patients of cancer and discuss that transition with you. They talked about the process with Kaylee and they shared their personal stories and it made it a blessed day. I kid you not that I figured I would break down watching Kaylee go bald but I didn't. The owner shaved Kaylee's head and I didn't lose one tear drop. We were getting things done and moving forward.
Today we have our color back and our hair is growing like a weed. I got to thinking about hair loss today after I wrote a letter to a member of Oprah's staff who is doing something/story about Locks of Love. I wrote and told her about Kaylee and about the courage she had when she appeared on the front page of the newspaper without hair. Subsequent to that she was on a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society mailer. Kaylee has had girls tell her that they admire and adore her self confidence and strength. We all do. I believe Kaylee has inspired other teenage cancer patients to feel the same way about theirselves.
If you would send an email to Ms. Okeefe with Kaylee's name and a link to my blog, I'd appreciate it. I want Kaylee to have the spot light. I think she deserves to be in Chicago on the set of Oprah. She should have 15 minutes or 15 days of fame, but I'm having a hard time getting someone to notice my child. It has been like pulling teeth. I'm obviously biased, and have vested interest in this teenager from Missouri, but please help me do something special for Kaylee Marie Quijas. Our teenager has been battling some tuff stuff and has been home or hospitalized for 6 months. I want her to get an invitation to a show, a place, or a function. The email address is sokeefe@harpo.com and Kaylee's blog site is http://kayleequijas.blogspot.com/ . Someone be creative for me and get them to notice Kaylee and her story, her Locks of Love wig photos from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, her front page newspaper photo, or my big melon if that gets it done. I wish all a good day...
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